GOLD BAR — A Gold Bar man and his 4-year-old daughter were rescued Friday night after their canoe capsized in the Skykomish River, fire officials said.
The man and daughter set out in the canoe at the Big Eddy river access on the Skykomish River off U.S. 2 outside Gold Bar.
Around 7 p.m., two say were drifting downstream toward some rapids, said Lt. David Leeman, who does swift-water rescues for Fire District No. 26.
They tried to get away from the rapids when "the girl got scared and stood up and they capsized," Leeman said.
Two other girls were watching and dialed 911 when they saw the canoe tip over.
"The man was in the middle of a rapid in waste-deep water in a current, holding his daughter in the air," he said. The man was barefoot and shirtless, with no life jacket. The daughter had on a swimsuit and life jacket, Leeman said.
"He was hollering to the deputy that he can’t hold on any longer," Leeman said.
Leeman paddled to the man in an inflatable kayak and took the girl to safety before returning to rescue the man.
"I honestly believe, if it had taken any longer, he would not have been able to hold on to her, and they could have succumbed to hypothermia and potentially drowned," Leeman said.
Both were treated at Monroe Valley General Hospital for hypothermia.
"Anytime you are in a boat there is the potential to end up in the water," said Leeman, adding that life jackets should be worn by all parties when boating.
Reporter Pam Brice: 425-339-3439 or brice@heraldnet.com.
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